Kayla R. Holloway

Objective Not all individuals self-identify with race categories on birth certificates, selecting “Other” and writing in identities. Our hypothesis was that curating write-in responses in the “Other” race category would contribute to understanding preterm birth inequities. Methods We analyzed Pennsylvania birth certificates (2006–2014). Two independent coders reviewed each write-in response among those who selected “Other” race. We compared preterm birth rates across subpopulations within “Other” race category using a Monte Carlo simulated Chi-square test. Results Among 1,196,125 singleton births, 72,891 (6.1%) exclusively selected “Other” race; Hispanic more often than non-Hispanic individuals (54.5% vs 0.7%), p < 0.0001). Only 545 (0.8%) of Hispanic individuals wrote in responses aligned with preestablished race categories compared to 2,601 (33.2%) of non-Hispanic individuals. Preterm birth rates varied significantly across identities within the “Other” group (P < 0.001). Conclusion Utilizing combinations of self-identified race, ethnicity, and continental origin may facilitate public health efforts focused on birth outcome equity.

Purpose of Review To examine the impacts of gun violence on early childhood development including early childhood mental health, cognitive development, and the assessment and treatment of survivors. Recent Findings The literature reflects that gun violence exposure is often associated with significant mental health outcomes including anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and depression in older youth. Historically, studies have focused on adolescents and their exposures to gun violence through proximity to gun violence within their communities, neighborhoods, and schools. However, the impacts of gun violence on young children are less known. Summary Gun violence has significant impacts on mental health outcomes of youth aged 0–18. Few studies focus specifically on how gun violence impacts early childhood development. In light of the increase in youth gun violence over the past three decades with a significant uptick since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, continued efforts are needed to better understand how gun violence impacts early childhood development.